OSU and Brazil join in the name of science

Ohio State University and the Brazilian state of
Sao Paulo will create a $1.4 million research fund with the goal of helping citizens in both
countries and around the world.

Under the agreement signed on Friday, researchers from any department or discipline at Ohio
State and Sao Paulo can apply for money to begin or expand joint projects. OSU plans to open a
"global gateway" office in Sao Paulo next year to establish deeper, broader relationships with
alumni, scholars and corporate partners. Ohio State already has gateway offices in China and
India.

The new agreement will boost those efforts, OSU's Vice President for Research Caroline Whitacre
said in a news release.

"There is great potential for growing and finding new ways to work together," she said in the
release.

Some of the areas already identified for potential projects include advanced materials; energy
production especially renewable and alternative energy; food security; and studies into natural
products and new drugs that work as anticancer agents. Whitacre said she envisions the partnerships
including conferences to introduces researchers from countries to one another, as ell as short-term
exchanges of students, postdoctoral researchers and faculty members.

The agreement calls for Ohio State and the public foundation
Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo to contribute $700,000 to
begin the five-year program. During the first year, researchers will be able to apply for $20,000
awards. Larger awards are planned for the program's second year.